New Year’s Resolutions: GONE WITH THE FEBRUARY WINDS The Surprising Truth (and Fix)

It’s Mid-February, did you find your motivation for new year goals melting faster than ice on a hot sunny day? Are the vision boards that were strategically made, now gathering dust? 

You may have noticed that while we strive to work on these goals, often after the first few weeks or months, we fall back into old patterns and give up. Research by  Timmons et al. (2010) suggests that 25% of the people don’t stick to their resolutions for a week,  46% only succeed for six months and only 19% make it to the mark. Another research by Shrewsbury (2019) highlighted that a majority of people abandon their resolutions within 12 days. 

If this sounds familiar to you, don’t worry it’s normal and it’s not your fault. We’re here to help you understand why and make a system that lasts!

Why We Fall Back into Old Patterns (The “Glitch”)

1. Too Much, Too Soon (The All-or-Nothing Trap): We often set resolutions that require extreme changes (e.g., “I will never eat sugar again”). When we inevitably slip up, the perceived failure causes us to quit entirely rather than simply resetting the next day. 
2. Being too strict : Many times, following a failure, we perceive it as a drastic event, “I can’t even do this, I’m a failure”. However, there’s a good possibility that you are capable but you’re being a little too harsh. Instead, harbour some compassion for yourself when bad experiences hit, treat yourself with the same warmth you’d offer a loved one. 
3. Relying on Motivation, Not System: Motivation is a fleeting emotion that comes from actions and shapes future action. Sounds confusing right? Let me explain, there’s a neurotransmitter called dopamine that makes you feel “good” after achieving something. This feeling then motivates you, makes you think I can achieve more things. So what can you do when dopamine fails you?   Simple , build a system that makes the healthy choice the easiest one. When motivation inevitably drops, because it will, the system carries you through (e.g., prepping gym clothes the night before, or putting in reminders to do tasks, additionally also putting in reminders for rewards). 
4. No Emotional Connection: Often, resolutions are things we feel we should do (lose weight, save money) rather than things we want to do. If our resolutions are actions we desire, it’s more likely that we’ll actually follow through with them. Suppose this genuine emotional connection is absent, when faced with obstacles even the biggest rewards of the goal appear fruitless. 

Now let’s apply this understanding to action

Let’s assume your resolution was to read more books in 2026, before planning out how to do it, REFLECT

1. What is the purpose you’re trying to fulfill, what’s your end goal?
2. How will achieving this make my life better? 
3. What is the current status of your goal? 
4. What are your available options?
5. What are the factors preventing you from reaching the goal? 
6. What changes could you make in your actions and behavior to overcome these road blocks?

Once you’ve done this, you’ll get a clearer understanding of what the resolutions are, why they matter to you, your values, beliefs and available tools to achieve them. Now just put it in a system

Rewards are important because they serve as pit stops for you to rest, replenish and reflect on your progress. Now, since we know our reasons and system, let’s make those resolutions that stick ! 

Thank you for reading. We hope this was both fun and insightful! 
Warm Regards,
Center for Mental Health  

References 

Shrewsbury, D. (2019). Resolutions, ambitions and action plans . . .. The Clinical Teacher, 16(2), 93–95. https://doi.org/10.1111/tct.13015
Timmons M. (2010). Pressing Toward the Goal. Journal of Christian Nursing Fellowship 27(3): 233. DOI: 10.1097/CNJ.0b013e3181e1ace3